live from london. this is bbc news. president trump's envoy steve steve witkoff and his son in law law jared kushner are in russia right right now to discuss an amended ukraine ukraine peace plan with vladimir vladimir putin. president zelensky zelensky is in ireland. he's met met with the country's new president president drumming up support and and saying that he is taking the the peace process absolutely seriously. seriously. nearly 1300 people have have been killed after asia's devastating devastating floods. that number is is expected to rise. the fight against against australia's plans to ban ban anyone under the age of 16 using using social media. i've been speaking speaking to the 15-year-old who has has mounted a legal challenge. no no doubt in my mind that kids would would definitely try to get around around this ban and most of them them will get around it. and the the pope wraps up his three day trip

trip of lebanon after visiting the the site of the beirut explosion. explosion. hello, everyone, i'm lucy lucy hockings. welcome to bbc news. news. now three hours of fast moving moving news, interviews and reaction. reaction. president trump's special special envoy steve witkoff, is to to meet president putin in moscow moscow shortly to present him with with an amended plan to end the war war in ukraine. the kremlin says says he'll be joined by president president trump's son in law, jared jared kushner, who has acted as an an outside adviser in diplomatic diplomatic talks. president zelensky zelensky says russia must not be be rewarded for invading ukraine ukraine and his priorities during during peace talks is to maintain maintain sovereignty and ensure strong strong security guarantees. he's he's in ireland right now for a state state visit. in the past few hours, hours, he's met with president catherine catherine connolly. he's now going going on to meet the taoiseach. it it follows yesterday's trip to paris. paris. he had a busy day there, meeting meeting with president macron as

as well, trying to rally support support from other european allies. allies. the uk's prime minister, minister, keir starmer and about about a dozen other european leaders leaders joined them on a phone call. call. they all had together yesterday. yesterday. the ukrainian leader after after that call saying this. war war should not become a profitable profitable business or that others others would not want to repeat such such actions. that is why we take take principled positions on sanctions, sanctions, on accountability for for war crimes, on the legal status status of our territories currently currently occupied by russian forces forces on russian assets and on the the obligation of reconstruction. reconstruction. the aggressor must must pay for their aggression. the the stronger the world's united stance stance on these points, the more more secure and lasting peace will will be. so on the front lines, meanwhile, meanwhile, we've had the kremlin kremlin saying they have captured captured this key eastern town of of pokrovsk. there's been heavy fighting fighting there for a long time. ukraine ukraine correspondent james waterhouse waterhouse in kyiv told us more about about the significance of those claims.

claims. clearly the situation there there has been deteriorating for for some time. if it is completely completely captured by russian forces, forces, as is looking likely at some some stage, it will not dramatically dramatically change the dynamics dynamics of the front lines. i mean, mean, there are, i think what is is more significant is what, as president president zelensky admits, ukraine ukraine could be forced to give up. up. you know, pokrovsk has been vastly vastly destroyed now over the past past few years as russia has ground ground its way inside the city. but but it's what ukraine could have have to give up in an unfavourable unfavourable peace deal, which i i think is more significant for the the country ie the remaining part part of the eastern donbas region region which russia mostly occupies. occupies. what is also significant significant is the timing of these these claims. you've got the russian russian defence ministry releasing releasing these carefully curated curated videos of vladimir putin putin again in military fatigues fatigues in occupied ukraine, being

being briefed by his officers with with the claim that two cities have have been captured. there may be be some battlefield reality to those those claims, but also we have to to consider that this us delegation delegation steve witkoff, jared kushner, kushner, are going to arrive in the the kremlin today where the americans americans and certainly ukrainians ukrainians will be hoping that russia russia can be convinced to compromise, compromise, to pause fighting in in any way when we consider what what we've just discussed with the the capturing of these towns, certainly certainly from the ukrainian perspective, perspective, it doesn't look like like moscow is ready to put the brakes brakes on in any way with its continued continued invasion of this country. country. well, let's get a sense sense on that very point that james james has just raised what we're we're hearing from russia are russia russia editor for bbc monitoring monitoring vitaly shevchenko is with with us now. what's the kind of mood mood music from russian media today? today? what do they think of this this witkoff meeting as well? it's it's unrelenting and uncompromising. uncompromising. we've had statements

statements from president putin's putin's spokesman dmitry peskov today today and he said, yeah, russia is is all for talks, but it sees talks talks as a way of achieving its military military objectives in ukraine. which which are maximalist. absolutely absolutely maximalist. vladimir putin putin said last thursday that fighting fighting in ukraine will only stop stop if ukrainian forces withdrew. withdrew. that there's no point in in signing any deals with volodymyr volodymyr zelensky. so no change change whatsoever in his position. position. and frankly, there's very very little reason for vladimir putin putin to change his position given given that the united states has has essentially come out in support support of russia's demands. and and vitaly, what do we know about about the relationship between steve steve witkoff and president putin? putin? what we've seen from previous previous meetings between the two two and this is his fifth or sixth sixth meeting in moscow with putin.

putin. steve witkoff has been visibly visibly delighted to meet vladimir vladimir putin. one meeting he put put a hand on his heart and he was was all smiles. and then there were were these incredible leaks in, in in the media over the past week suggesting suggesting that steve witkoff advised advised the russians on how to deal deal with donald trump, that he was was involved in some business negotiations negotiations with the russians and and that he had agreed to present present a russian list of maximalist maximalist demands as a american, american, quote unquote, peace plan. plan. can you explain to us the significance significance of pokrovsk? it's been been a strategic town for a long long time. fighting has been going going on, but it's in ruins now. now. vitaly. but russia says they've they've captured it. can we believe believe in any way those claims. claims. what we've seen is is one one video published by the russian russian defence ministry showing showing russian soldiers in central central pokrovsk to which the ukrainian

ukrainian military replied by saying, saying, well, it's one thing to plant plant a flag and then run away and and it's completely different from from just staying in pokrovsk. so so the ukrainians say the fighting fighting continues when it comes comes to pokrovsk significance as as a transport hub. it's gone. it it has been gone for a while now. now. it's in ruins, as you say, lucy, lucy, and i think it's time to start start worrying about another big big city in ukraine, zaporizhzhia, zaporizhzhia, which is more than than ten times bigger than pokrovsk. pokrovsk. and the russians are literally literally half an hour down the road, road, 13 miles away from zaporizhzhia. zaporizhzhia. so that's where the the next possible flashpoint may may be. from a personal point of of view, zaporizhzhia, your home home town. vitaly, how are people people feeling there? they are amazingly amazingly reluctant to see the danger. danger. for most of them life goes goes on. they have little choice. choice. they just choosing to stay stay there. but the rumble of artillery,

artillery, the noise of fighting fighting is getting closer to the the hundreds of thousands of people people who are still in zaporizhzhia zaporizhzhia battalion. thank you. you. well, let's speak now to vadym vadym prystaiko, the former ukraine ukraine foreign minister and ambassador ambassador to the uk, speaking to to us from kyiv. very good to have have you with us. how do you view view the talks today between steve steve witkoff and president putin? putin? what are your expectations expectations there? i believe that that witkoff when he sees president president putin in just two hours, hours, will try to sell him the version version of this agreement, which which was curated by ukrainians and and americans in florida. and i understand understand that what he is doing, doing, he's trying to sell to both both sides ukraine and the ukrainians ukrainians and russians. the same same deal which has been prepared prepared and, now edited in the united united states. how successful it it would be. we still have to see see because as it was, your previous previous guest mentioned, the russians russians are seeing this process

process peace process as just another another way to achieve their targets, targets, which are not just maximalist, maximalist, but actually at the end end of the day, they foresee that that ukraine doesn't exist. what what does kyiv do if russia once once again rejects this deal? this this is something which i personally personally also also can see because because russians came with this plan plan as americans really threaten threaten them with harsh sanctions, sanctions, this time against the the major oil companies. and that's that's what they've been doing all all over this period of time. as as soon as americans are thinking thinking of something serious, they they are throwing like a bone on on the table. little concession here here and there, like coming to alaska alaska or offering to renew negotiations negotiations in istanbul. and there there was enough each and every time time for americans to scramble their their plans and just hope that russians russians will do something meaningful, meaningful, which never happened happened this time. americans understood understood and they kept these sanctions. sanctions. they didn't want to leave leave them until russians are actually

actually doing something meaningful. meaningful. we will see this time time how it will play out. the rest rest of the world is watching so so closely what is happening now, now, because so many people are talking talking about a potential deal before before christmas. i know for ukrainians ukrainians that just feels a long long way away and impossible given given what is on the table right right now. but is there any place place that you could see ukraine ukraine compromise at all? could could it be something like around around nato membership if you were were offered some other kind of guarantees? guarantees? that's a very, very good good question and we've been quite quite carefully playing with this this nato membership for all our our 30 plus years of independence, independence, understanding that that russia for some reason only only they know are very sensitive sensitive to that. if you remember remember the finland and sweden joining joining nato increased the border border with russia of the alliance alliance with russia, more than 1000km. 1000km. so we do not believe that that nato is actually a reason to to fight against russia. russia is is not fighting with finland right

right now. right. so we know that that nato is something which will will allow us to have what we call call security guarantees. and i'm i'm afraid to see that in this new new 28 or whatever the number of of points right now we do not see see particular security guarantees guarantees which will allow us to to survive when this part of war war is over and russians will rearm rearm and come again. can i ask you you about president zelensky as well? well? i mean, he's been in france france yesterday. he is in ireland ireland today. we follow him everywhere everywhere he goes saying the same same thing to ukraine's allies. what what more is he hoping for from europe europe right now? i believe that that what he's trying to achieve achieve in europe is not that much much a support, but political support support is here. there are two things things missing. one is the real support. support. what was called a coalition coalition of willing. if you remember remember the great britain and france france came with this idea to help help and even send the boots on the the ground, which is not happening happening over the year. we still still discussing another major thing thing is how we get russian frozen

frozen assets to help ukrainians ukrainians to survive yet another another year and help our partners partners to buy more weapons and and do whatever they are doing for for us. these two major. let's be be clear that is absolutely essential essential for ukraine's survival survival now, isn't it? getting access access to. absolutely two of those? those? yes, there are many other other things, but this one is essential. essential. can i also just ask you you about president zelensky at home? home? how much has he been damaged damaged by this corruption scandal? scandal? you know, the chief of staff staff and we are talking about the the resignation of chief of staff staff of president zelensky. they they are coming and leaving. but but this particular one was with with president zelensky since almost almost since the beginning, almost almost five years. so they went through through a lot of things. and i believe believe that personally, prince zelensky zelensky was quite attached. but but the this mr yermak became such such a figure in ukrainian political political life that sooner or later later he will zelensky will have have to, you know, get rid of him him to part ways. and that happened.

happened. i know it's not easy, but but i hope that with this move he he is showing that there is no loyalty loyalty which goes over the ukrainian ukrainian future. and the future future is in europe, where corruption corruption and everything else is is not tolerated. mr before we let let you go. we have had these pictures. pictures. they've come to us from from russian sources of what is happening happening in pokrovsk. they say they they now are in control of it. they they say their forces have taken taken it. what is the official view view from kyiv? each and every town town and city and village lost. it's it's very painful. that is why this this part of negotiations about so-called so-called territorial exchange is is even more painful. because there there is no territory exchange where where the russians want to swap our our territories for more of our territories. territories. this is really painful. painful. and that's what president president zelensky will have to really really consider seriously, because because he will have to get back back to ukraine and explain to them them how we negotiated and what we we have out of this. mr thank you you very much for joining us. always

always good to have you with us on on the bbc. there is a live page page up and running on the bbc news news website. do log on to get the the very latest on the talks that that are taking place in moscow

more, join us here on bbc news. welcome welcome back. across four countries countries in south east asia, authorities authorities are working against the the clock to deliver much needed needed supplies to more than 1 million million people who have been forced forced from their homes by devastating devastating flooding. dramatic footage footage continues to emerge, including including this town in indonesia's indonesia's aceh province being submerged submerged by floodwaters. locals locals watching helplessly on the the water. there, so powerful it it managed to carry off a house. house. the deluge was partly fuelled fuelled by a rare tropical cyclone cyclone which dumped rainfall on on sri lanka and parts of indonesia's indonesia's sumatra, southern thailand thailand and northern malaysia as as well. the death toll in indonesia indonesia is continuing to climb. climb. rescue services say more than

than 700 people have been killed killed so far. it's feared hundreds hundreds more are buried in the mud mud across the indian ocean in sri sri lanka, more than 400 people have have died. military led teams are are scouring the impacted areas, areas, searching for those who remain remain stranded. the army managed managed to rescue these people, 70 70 or so passengers who were trapped trapped in a bus. and this is the the view from above for you. satellite satellite images taken before and and after the floodwaters swept through through one person in indonesia telling telling the bbc the floodwaters were were like a tsunami, bringing back back terrible memories for many people people across the region as well. well. well, joining me from colombo colombo in sri lanka is sara danny danny shaw, the editor of bbc news news sinhala and from jakarta astudestra astudestra ajengrastri from bbc news news indonesia. very good to have have you both with us. if i could could start with you ashara what what is the picture in sri lanka lanka today? sri lanka. as you clearly

clearly said now the death toll has has risen now from yesterday's 300 300 to 410, while the missing keep keep rising for 336 and 1.4 million million people affected overall with with the flood and the landslide landslide that has occurred during during the last few days. so the the rescue operation is still going going with navy, sri lanka army and and the air force. with the help help of all these with also from from the local help and also india india has and pakistan has generously generously offered their help for for rescue operations. while some some of the infrastructure has been been restored majorly for the damaged damaged areas widely damaged the the largest damage which caused in in kandy and badulla has been restored restored and we are hearing certain certain areas now, they have at least least opened some of the infrastructure, infrastructure, especially the access access roads and some of the essential essential service has been restored restored back, especially electricity

electricity and the like. mobile mobile connections and the essential essential items for these people. people. however, like the death toll toll is keep rising and today we we are getting some of the footage footage from isolated villages we we never heard earlier that has been been affected. and like, you know, know, the half of the village people people have been like, you know, know, unfortunately been affected affected by these floods, especially especially the landslide situation. situation. so the situation, the the numbers are going to rise. but but right now the cyclone has been been moved from the country. so we we expect no rain in the coming days. days. but the death toll is going going to be high. yeah, it's a devastating devastating picture across sri lanka lanka and astudestra what about in in indonesia, particularly in aceh? aceh? i guess at the moment where where there are still areas i understand understand that are cut off, the the cut off, yeah. when we woke up up this morning here in indonesia, indonesia, the number of death casualties casualties was at 600 and more. but

but now at 7pm indonesia's time, time, we have 744 people died, 500 500 more remains missing and more more than 3.3 million of people are are affected by these floods and and landslides in asia, particularly, particularly, a lot of the places places have not been able to receive receive aid. the indonesian government, government, the president yesterday yesterday he visited some of these these places and promised that help help is on the way and the rescue rescue team are still trying as best best as they can to clear up the the road. it is mentioned that in in aceh more than 50km of road has has been blocked by massive amounts amounts of mud. so you can imagine imagine how difficult it is to reach reach these isolated areas and aids aids have to be delivered to that

that places manually, either by foot foot or by motorcycles. so we're we're hearing a lot of stories from from people in this area from asia asia and tapanuli, particularly. particularly. they haven't received received any aid. after almost a a week of being isolated from the the outside world, they are claiming claiming that food now is very scarce. scarce. there's no clean water, there's there's no clothing and people have have to loot stores and warehouses warehouses in order to find food. food. in their desperation. ash-har ash-har quraishi, sri lanka's president, president, has called this the most most challenging natural disaster disaster in the country's history. history. given what the island has has been through in the past, that that is quite a statement. where where is the biggest challenge, do do you think right now? i mean, is is there access to things like clean clean water everywhere? so right, right, as you said, like you know, know, it is one of the biggest devastation devastation we have faced after the

the tsunami, if i'm not wrong. so so as i said, it will be very, quite quite challenging for us because because we are in a very tight schedule schedule with imf at the moment to to meet our economic like goals with with them. and on december we are are supposed to have the next like, like, you know, schedule with the the imf and after the 22, 2022 protest, protest, which the country was devastated devastated by economic crisis and and we were just about to rise as as a country with like, you know, know, meeting the financial targets, targets, whatever. so so it has been been very challenging. but the latest latest un report that has been out out yesterday evening says that the the government response has been been very swift and they have allocated allocated 30 billion for the immediate immediate relief to avoid the possible possible delays and for the assistance assistance to be provided. and they they are particularly happy about about the like, you know, the devastation, devastation, like, you know, the the aids programme that has been

been initiated and apart from that, that, what is challenging for us us is that all the infrastructure infrastructure and the more major major devastation area. yeah, were were like major devastation has occurred occurred in these tourist areas which which we were about to boom. so december december to april is the season for for sri lankans like the tourist tourist season. and this is hugely hugely going to impact the economy economy because we are supposed to to bring a lot of money into the the country that will be have that that will definitely have an effect. effect. and apart from that, the the clean water. so that has been been provided immediately and there there has been a lot of relief contrary contrary to in indonesia, i guess. guess. and there's a lot of, you you know, support given from the the community itself apart from the the government. so there are challenges challenges that has been met. ashara ashara and astudestra, thank you you very much for updating us on on what is happening, but let's bring bring you a little bit more now with with ananda, who is currently in in west sumatra. that is one of the the regions we've just been talking

talking about worst affected by the the flooding. good to have you with with us at a really terrible time time for sumatra. we've just been been hearing about clean water and and how there is quite a bit of available available in sri lanka. it's not not a big issue, but how is it where where you are? d-deck can you hear hear me? yeah. hello. oh, hello. hello. just wondering what the situation situation is where you are in terms terms of access to clean water across across west sumatra. yeah, in my my area in padang, west sumatra, sumatra, we been heavily affected affected by the flash floods and and landslides. many homes and small small small businesses were flooded flooded or damaged. it's also damaged damaged the clean water facilities facilities and it's cut the supply supply of clean water in my city. city. how was it when the floods

floods hit? were you given enough enough warning by the government? government? talking about warning, warning, there were weather warnings warnings in the region, but the intensity intensity of the suddenness of the the rains is very, very, very strong strong rains. and combined with the the local factor like land degradation, degradation, deforestation and it's it's become more worse than the usual. usual. it meant many communities communities had a little time to to fully prepare to the thing that that will happen. have you seen floods floods like this before? because because you are used to heavy rain rain and the monsoon season. this this must just feel so different different though. yeah, there they they are getting worse every year year even though it's even though

though the meteorological agency agency have warning issues every every month, every every rain season. season. but it's getting worse every every year because the forest is is getting deforestation. but however however survivors and expert report report that the floods and landslides landslides developed quickly in some some places combined with the government government and police. yeah. thank thank you very much for joining us. us. stay safe and thank you for sharing sharing what is going on in west west sumatra. as he was mentioning, mentioning, real anger growing about about deforestation, the effect this this might have had and of course course climate change also expected. expected. when we look at the situation situation more closely to have played played its part in these devastating devastating floods, we're going to to be looking at that more extensively extensively later in the programme programme here on bbc news now. so

so do stay with us. see you in a a few minutes.

this is bbc news. the headlines: president trump's envoy envoy steve witkoff and his son in in law jared kushner are in russia russia right now to discuss an amended amended ukraine peace plan with vladimir vladimir putin, president zelensky zelensky is in ireland. he's been been meeting the country's leaders leaders to drum up support and says says he's taking the peace process process absolutely seriously. new new plans to cut the ancient right right to a jury trial in england england and wales are to be announced announced later. around 1300 people people have been killed after asia's asia's devastating floods. we look look at how deforestation may be be affecting the weather. the fight fight against australia's plans to to ban anyone under the age of 16 16 using social media. i've been been speaking to the 15-year-old 15-year-old who has mounted a legal legal challenge. no doubt in my mind

mind that